Knitting spirality stabilizer

ABSTRACT

Knitting spirality stabilizer constituted of the main frame and the internal mechanism (removable capsule). The main body of the machine is constituted of the frame ( 1 ) in which is placed a circle pattern constituted of two rings, one constant ( 2 ) and one removable ( 3 ). Circumferentially and symmetrically of the movable ring ( 3 ) has been placed a layout that regulates the operation diameter according to the fabric. It is constituted of independent rests ( 4 ), which can be height regulated ( 5 ) and can be stabilized in the desirable location by using pins ( 6 ). Lengthwise of the vertical surface of rests, magnets have been placed ( 7 ), which have been covered with Teflon. There are turn wheels on the rests ( 10 ) with coating made from soft material so that is performed smooth fabric rolling without wears. Inside the frame it is found the internal mechanism ( 9 ) that is constituted of foldable frame ( 11 ) and pins ( 6 ) for the initial placement. On the foldable frame edges ( 11 ) rests have been placed ( 12 ) that correspond to those on the external movable ring, that respectively have their own turn wheels ( 10 ) with coating made from soft material and magnets ( 8 ) with opposite polarity to create magnetic field and flexible metal stripes ( 13 ) that are used as drivers during the fabric passage.

The invention relates to a machine, processing tubular fabric, in its final stage of processing (finish) before going to a craft to become ready to use product (t-shirts, trousers, dresses etc). The invention is used in the final line processing (finishing) of fabric, where it goes after the dye on dyeing machines and before cutting into pieces that going to be sewed according to the garment design.

Until recently the reduction of spirality effect on the fabric, which leads to displacement of the seams on finished fabrics (t-shirts and trousers) that is being observed after washing and drying, it was achieved by using various types of machinery that performing with the principle of use “rollers move fabric”, but the anticipated results, to minimize spirality of knitting, was not achieved, because the circular cross-section of the fabric that is being produced by the circular knitting machine does not allow any additional management and accurate control of fabric spirality.

The problems that were occurred by the erroneous management of fabric were mainly failures in the final result, with the final levels of remaining spirality being above acceptable level of 4-6%. As an example, it was a frequent phenomenon during the wash of a t-shirt to have displacement of seams (B) from their initial place (A), resulting the production of defective products. This occurs because the fabric was produced by circular knitting machine, but furthermore because fabric is being stressed during the dyeing process in the dying machines and during finishing stage after the dye. Consequently result of the production process and fabric processing is the creation of knitting spirality effect, so that the seams and the design of the garments are being displaced.

The application of the present invention comes to decrease and stabilize with accuracy, in acceptable levels the spirality of tubular knitted fabric that is occurred mainly because of the working way of knitting in circular knitting machines, but also by the spirality of fabric during its processing at dyeing and finishing stages. So the present invention comes to solve the problem of fabric management in such a way that the spirality of knitting returns back in the desirable limits of the 4-6%.

Advantage of this invention is the transmission of rotation externally, with the use of a removable internal mechanism of (removable capsule), which is placed in the interior of the external mechanism, concentric with the exterior ring and is retaining in its place by the magnetic field that created by the opposite polarity of the permanent magnets that are found both on the external mechanism and on the internal mechanism. These create the traction power that retains the internal mechanism in its place. After the internal mechanism is placed, fabric passes between the internal and external mechanism, in such a way that the internal mechanism (capsule) is found in the internal diameter of the fabric. Henceforth the fabric is retained between the capsule/internal driver and the external mechanism and therefore can be turned depending on the movement that will be given in the external mechanism (movable ring) to the desirable direction and with the suitable speed so that is achieved fabric passage without wears and in combination with its rotation is being achieved rebound of fabric spirality in the desirable limits.

The fabric management with the use of this invention is particularly simple. First the operator has to calculate spirality with a simple test. In order to calculate the initial fabric spirality, the operator uses a piece of fabric. He creates on the piece of fabric, with a marker pen, a rectangular geometric drawing or a cross. Afterwards, he does the wash and the dye of the piece of fabric. By measuring the vertical divergence of geometric drawing or cross and with reduction in one hundred meters length of fabric, calculates the knitting spirality as % percentage. Then the fabric, according to its internal diameter, is placed in the machine. Before that the mechanism regulation with the required diameter must be performed. Then the operator passes the fabric between the external and the internal mechanism (between the rollers that mechanism allocates for this reason). After the fabric placement, operator by using a touch screen, inputs the essential data (fabric width, direction of rotation and % rate of spirality that resulted from the previous test). The whole machine operation is fully automated with the use of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based on the data that have been inputted. With the external rotational motion, that took place via a beltdrive through a system of electric motor with reduction gear controlled by inverter, the rotation of the external mechanism is performed (movable ring), which transmits the motion in a magnetic way to the internal mechanism (capsule) that is found in the inner side of the tubular knitted fabric and which moves the tubular knitted fabric in such a way that helps the minimization of spirality effect (the removable capsule is turned together with the movable ring because of the magnetic field that is created and forces the capsule turning without shifting). Simultaneously fabric is moving lengthwise because of the operation of finishing machine that follows (compactor) and that delivers the fabric in order to gives its final form (the suitable weight and the appropriate surface finish of the fabric).

The knitting spirality stabilizer according to the present invention is constituted of a) the main body of the machine that is in charge for the rotational motion and b) from the internal mechanism (removable capsule) of fabric placement.

The invention is presented in the following drawings. In drawing 1 is portrayed the main body of the machine, in drawing 2 is portrayed the internal mechanism (removable capsule) of fabric placement, in drawing 3 is portrayed the graphic representation internal mechanism placement in the machine and in drawing 4 is portrayed the machine in its final state.

The main body of the machine is constituted of the frame (1) in which is placed a circle pattern constituted of two rings, one constant (2) and one removable (3). Circumferentially and symmetrically of the movable ring (3) has been placed a layout that regulates the operation diameter according to the fabric. It is constituted of independent rests (4), which can be height regulated (5) and can be stabilized in the desirable location by using pins (6). The number of rests is even and rests are always placed in mirror places. Lengthwise of the vertical surface of rests, magnets have been placed (7), which have been covered with Teflon. The scope of Teflon covering is fabric friction avoidance due to its vertical movement because of the operation of the finishing machine that follows. These magnets (7) of the external mechanism in combination with the magnets (8) that exist on the internal mechanism (removable capsule) (9) are creating magnetic field (opposite polarity), resulting traction force that transmits the rotary motion (14) in internal mechanism (9) and in combination with the turn wheels (10) that exists both on the internal mechanism and on the rests of the external mechanism (which are in contact and they are aligned because of the force and the appropriate placement of the magnets) is possible the uniform passage of fabric without contact and at the same time with the rotation of movable ring (3) is performed the stabilization of spirality in the desirable limits.

The turn wheels (10) are manufactured from suitable material so that the smooth fabric rolling can performed without leaving any marks on the fabric and without creating wears on the fabric. The internal mechanism (9) is constituted of foldable frame (11) giving the possibility to regulate the desirable diameter of operation. The stabilization of internal mechanism (9) is achieved by the magnetic field that is created, which ensures the alignment of turn wheels that rolling fabric during the rotation. Pins (6) are used only at the first initial placement of internal mechanism (capsule) (9) for its concentric placement, keeping internal mechanism (9) at the closest place and the operator by regulating the external mechanism in the widest place, the mechanism is being placed so that is concentric with the external ring and after that pins are being removed (6).

On the frame edges (11), rests have been placed (12) that correspond to those on the external ring, that respectively have their own turn wheels (10) with coating made from soft material so that is performed smooth fabric rolling without wears. At the same time magnets have been placed (8) which have been covered with Teflon in order to avoid fabric wears. In combination with the magnets (7) that are placed on the external movable ring (3), they creating magnetic field, so that the turn wheels being aligned and creating the essential gap (15) for the smooth fabric passage. Finally, on the internal mechanism (removable capsule) (9) flexible metal stripes have been placed (13) that are used as drivers during the fabric passage and simultaneously facilitate the holes passage that regularly exist on the fabric, avoiding in this way the danger of fabric to be hooked in the mechanism. Metal stripes (13) have Teflon coating to avoid fabric wears.

From all those mentioned before as well as from the drawings it is turned out that is a simple, innovative and pioneering manufacture that comes to cover the need for the regulation of knitting spirality, improving the final product, minimizing defective products and save financial resources and time. 

1. Knitting spirality stabilizer that is constituted of a circle pattern of two rings. Circumferentially has been placed a layout for the diameter regulation that is constituted of independent rests (4), which can be height regulated (5) and can be stabilized in the desirable place with the appropriate pins (6). On the rests turn wheels have been placed (10) with soft material coating made of Teflon and magnets (7). It is also constituted of an internal mechanism (9) that is placed inside the diameter of the movable ring (3), with foldable frame (11), flexible metal stripes (13) but also with the respective pins (12) that bring turn wheels (10) with soft material coating and magnets (8) for the creation of magnetic field (traction force).
 2. The knitting spirality stabilizer according to claim 1 is characterized by the two rings, one constant (2) and one movable (3), circle pattern, in which the motion transmission is performed by a transmission belt arrangement with an electric motor with reduction gear controlled by an inverter.
 3. At the same time, the knitting spirality stabilizer according to claim 1, is also characterized by the placement on the movable ring (3) of a layout for the diameter regulation, constituted of independent rests (4), which are always placed in even number and placed in mirror places and are stabilised by using pins (6). Moreover it is characterized by the placement on the rests vertical segment (4) of turn wheels (10) with soft material coating to avoid fabric wears and creation of a gap (15) for fabric passage. Finally by magnets (7) that are coated with Teflon for traction motion creation in order to achieved the transmission (externally) of the rotary motion (14) to the internal mechanism.
 4. Knitting spirality stabilizer according to claim 1 is also characterized by the internal mechanism (removable capsule) (9), which is constituted of a foldable frame (11) with independent rests (12) that bring on their vertical segment, rolling turn wheels (10) with soft material coating to avoid fabric wears and creation of a gap (15) for fabric passage. There are also Teflon coated magnets (8) which are always found in equivalence with turn wheels (10) and the magnets (7) of the movable ring (3), thus creating the desirable traction force for the rotary motion (14) of the mechanism.
 5. As it is also referred in claims 1, 3 and 4 the knitting spirality stabilizer is characterized by the existence of magnets (7) (8) both on the arms (4) of the movable ring (3) and on the arms (12) of the internal mechanism (9) for the creation of required force (traction force) for the rotation and simultaneously for the alignment of rolling turn wheels (10).
 6. According to claim 1 the knitting spirality stabilizer is also characterized by the placement of flexible metal stripes (13) with Teflon coating for the right routing of fabric without the danger to be hooked in the mechanism.
 7. Finally, the knitting spirality stabilizer according to claim 1 is also characterized by the placement of rolling turn wheels (10) on the movable ring (3) and in the internal mechanism (9), with soft material coating in order not to create wears on the fabric (lines) during the fabric passage. 